1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a simulating system, a simulating apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and a simulating method for simulating the operation of the image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a request for the realization of high picture quality, high mass-productivity, and the like by the user is increasing for image input/output apparatuses of an electrophotographic system. It is also demanded to promptly cope with such a request. Thus, it is necessary to more efficiently perform development of products for a shorter period of time. This is true of development of software for controlling the apparatus.
Hitherto, as a method of satisfying such a request, there is a simulating method using an apparatus virtually constructed by software on a PC (Personal Computer). In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-187494 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-007483, there has been proposed such a technique that the software to be installed is verified by the simulating method in the state where there are no firmware installed in the image forming apparatus of the electrophotographic system.
Owing to the above software verifying technique, the operation such as creation of actual apparatus software, correction of an inconvenience, or the like can be previously executed at the stage prior to examining an experimental model of the image forming apparatus. Thus, control firmware for the final product can be completed in its early stages.
To make the software development mainly using the foregoing simulation, it is ideal that the operation of the firmware on the actual apparatus and the firmware operation on a simulator are identical. However, identifying precision of the simulation to the operation of the actual apparatus cannot be set to such precision that the operation of the firmware on the actual apparatus and the firmware operation on the simulator are made substantially identical. For example, in the case where the identifying precision is low and the operation of the firmware on the simulator largely differs from that on the actual apparatus, it is very difficult to verify the firmware of the actual apparatus by the simulation. Therefore, it is desirable and important to improve the identifying precision and allow the operation of the firmware on the simulator to be nearly identical to the operation of the firmware on the actual apparatus as much as possible.
For example, in the case of electronic parts, a unit, or the like in which an operation algorithm to specify the actual operation is distinct, since the identifying precision by the simulation mentioned above is relatively high, it is very effective to verify the operation of the actual apparatus on the basis of the firmware operation on the simulator.
However, since the operation of the whole image forming apparatus is realized since various physical phenomena such as conveying operation of a sheet and transfer operation of a toner image are concerned with each other, there are many obscure points with respect to the operation algorithm. It is, therefore, very difficult to improve the identifying precision on the simulator with respect to the operation of the image forming apparatus.
In the development of the software, therefore, the fundamental operation verification of the software is made by using the simulator based on the simple algorithm. Thus, it is finally necessary to confirm the operation of the experimental model or the actual apparatus and adjust details of the control firmware.
To complete the image forming apparatus as a final product, it is necessary to predict use conditions such as various use environments, use pattern of the user, and the like and execute durability tests under the predicted use conditions. Therefore, whether or not a problem occurs is verified by the durability tests with respect to the operations of the hardware and software.
However, since the latest hardware is often installed in order to improve functions and performance of the apparatus, the control firmware is complicated more and more. Consequently, there is a case where the actual use conditions of the apparatus shipped as a product after succeeding in the durability tests and the like under the predicted use conditions differ from the predicted use conditions. In such a case, there is a case of occurrence of an unexpected inconvenience on the control.